Shell.



1. H. PIVONKA.

SHELL.

APPLICATION FILED me. 1915.

1,146,950. Patented July 20, 1915.

Witnesses Inventor aaym by 5 g Z Attorneys FFllQ.

JACOB H. PIVONKA, or IIMKEN, KANSAS.

SHELL.

it,1d6,950.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented July 20, 1915.

Application filed April 8, 1915. Serial No. 19,998.

To all; whom it may concern Be it known that I, JACOB H. PivoNKA, a citizen of the United States, residing at Timken, in the'county of Bush and State of Kansas, have invented a new and useful Shell, of which the following is a specification.-

The present invention appertains to explosive shells or projectiles, such as are used in warfare, and aims to provide a novel and improved shell of the shrapnel type and embodying a plurality of bombs or semndary shell which are scattered over a considerable area when the shell explodes, and which are in turn exploded so that the damage caused or the protection afforded by the shell may be considerably greater than that of an or:

dinary shrapnel shell. I

It is the object of the invention to provide novel bombs or secondary shells assembled within the main shell or cylinder in a unique manner whereby the bombs will be effectively scattered when the shell explodes, and whereby the bombs will be scattered over a considerable area and will be exploded shortly after the explosion of the shell proper so that the fragments of the bombs or secondary shells will in turn be scattered over a considerable area.

It is also withm the scope of the invention to provide a shell having the features above noted, and which '-is comparatively simple and inexpensive in construction, as well as beingefficient and thoroughly practical in use. I

lVith the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the com bination and arrangement of parts and in details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the in vention herein disclosed can be made within the scope of what is claimed, without de parting from the spirit of the invention.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a side elevation of the improved shell, a portion thereof being shown in section, with the section taken on the line 111 of Fig. Fig. 3 is a cross section of the shell taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of one of the bombs.

In carrying out the invention, the shellcomprises a cylinder or jacket 1 which is hollow or chambered in the usual manner, and whichis provided with a suitable time fuse whereby the shell will be set off or fired at a predetermined time or distance from the cannon or ordnance employed for project ing or shooting the shell. The cylinder or body 1 is of usual formatiomand is provided with a pointed forward end or nose, and 'theshell may be provided with the features of an ordinary shrapnel shell with respect to the time fuse and cylinder or jacket construction.

In' carrying out the invention, a plurality .of bombsor secondary shells 2 are disposed or nested within the cylinder or jacket 1 v and each of these bombs embodies a hollow case 3 of segmentalshaped cross section. The bombs 2 are arranged in groups at longitudinally spaced points within the cylinder 1, there being preferably three bombs in each annular group. The corners of the bombs arebeveled.

The case 3 of each bomb is provided with an outer curved wall 4 conforming to the curvature of the periphery of the cylinder 1, and fitting snugly thereagainst, and the case 3 is provided with a fiat inner wall 5 opposite wall 4:. The case 3 is also provided with oblique or angularly arranged walls 6 between the outer and inner walls 4: and 5, respectively, and which diverge from the wall .5 to the wall 4. The inner walls 5 of the bombs provide a longitudinal chamber therebetween which is of triangular cross section, and the said chamber has portions extending between the beveled corners of the respective bombs. The said chamber is filled with a liigh explosive or explosive charge 7-which is disposed compactly between the bombs to hold the bombs in place against the periphery of the cylinder. Each of the bombs 2 is provided with a high explosive or explosive charge-8 withinits case 3, and may also be provided with missiles 9 therein. The inner walls 5 of the bombs are.

provided with suitable fuses 10, which are arranged; to be ignited when the explosive 7 is ignited, and which after ti 6W seconds or short period of time will ignite the explosive charges within the bombs. fuses 1-0 may be of any suitabletype and need not be illustrated or described in detail.

The bombs may be conveniently placed within the cylinder during the construction of the shell and-the main explosive charge.

7 may be introduced into cylinder dur- The mg the placing of the bombs therein, and

*whereby, thebombs'and explosive charge 7 willbe. held in place properly. It will be noted that the bombs being of segmental shape may be fitted in a compact and convenient arrangement Within the cylinder,

and furthermore when the explosive charge 7 is ignited, it will effectively separate the bombs for scattering them and breaking the body'linto fragments.

When the shell is shot from the cannon or ordnance, the time fuse (not shown) which has been properly set, will ignite the 'main'explosive charge 7 at a predetermined timeor distance from the point of dis-.. charge, the charge 7 being ignited will not only break the cylinder 1 into fragments, but will also scatter the bombs in various directions and over a considerable area. The charge-7 being ignited will also ignite the fuses 10 of the bombs and after the bombs have been scattered to the desired extent, the explosive charges 8 of the bombs themselves will be ignited and 'the bombs will be broken open into fragments. Thus,

the fragments of the cylinder or body not only scatter and serve as an effective means of destruction, but the fragments of the bombs will also scatter and materially increase thedanger wrought. If themissiles 9 are employed in the bombs the missiles Oopies of this patent may be obtained for will also be scattered when the bombs are exploded, for increasing the efficiency of" the cylinder,,.each bomb comprising a seg-- mental-shaped case containing an explosive charge and missiles, the outer walls of the bomb cases being curved to fit snugly against the cylinder, the inner walls of the bomb cases being flat, and the corners of-the said cases being beveled, fuses carried by the inner walls of the bombs, and 'a ma n ex,- plosive charge within the cylinder between the bombs.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto afiixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses. JACOB H. PIVONKA. I

Witnesses: v

V. B. RoMnrsniz, H. R. XTIM'KEN.

five cents each, by addressing the. Commissioner of lietents, Washington, D. C. 

